Electronic ignition device for combustion engines of motors vehicles

ABSTRACT

An electronic ignition device for combustion engines of motor vehicles comprising a preliminary stage and an output stage, each such stage having at least one active semiconductor element and that at least the active semiconductor element of the preliminary stage can be removed from the ignition device.

United States Patent [1 1 Schou-Kjeldsen [4 1 Oct. 28, 1975 ELECTRONICIGNITION DEVICE FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES OF MOTORS VEHICLES Inventor: IgorSchou-Kjeldsen, Konigstein,

Germany [73] Assignee: South East European Purchasing &

Export Establishment, Liechtenstein Filed: Jan. 16, 1974 Appl. No.:433,946

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 24, 1973 Switzerland 988/73US. Cl 339/147 P; 123/148 E; 123/198 B; 339/184 M Int. Cl. B60R 25/04;HOlR 13/64 Field of Search... 339/147, 198, 184 R, 184 M, 339/185 R;123/146.5 B, 198 B, 148 E, 148

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Richard 123/198 B X 3,222,53412/1965 Scott 123/198 B X 3,720,284 3/1973 Myers... l23/146.5 B3,791,364 2/1974 Saita 123/148 E FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 412,1514/1925 Germany 123/146.5 B

Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant E.\'aminerE. F. Desmond Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Ladas, Parry, Von Gehr, Goldsmith & Deschamps [57]ABSTRACT An electronic ignition device for combustion engines of motorvehicles comprising a preliminary stage and an output stage, each suchstage having at least one active semiconductor element and that at leastthe active semiconductor element of the preliminary stage can be removedfrom the ignition device.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent 'Oct.28,'1975 Sheet 1 of33,915,542

U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,915,542

Fig.2

U.S.Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,915,542

ELECTRONIC IGNITION DEVICE FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES OF MOTORS VEHICLESBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new andimproved electronic ignition device for combustion engines of motorvehicles or the like.

As is well known in this particular field of technology automobileengines are generally started by means of a key which is inserted intothe ignition lock. As is equally well known it is readily possible, inthe event that the key is missing, to start-up the engine by shortcircuiting the ignition device, a technique often carried out during thetheft of vehicles. For this reason at the present time automobiles areoftentimes equipped with a steering wheel lock which, upon removal ofthe key from the ignition lock, blocks the steering. However, it hasbeen found with time that even this security mea' sure has notmaterially suppressed the number of stolen vehicles. Furthermore, thissteering wheel lock is associated with the danger that there is presentan undesired blocking of the steering when the vehicle rolls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Hence, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and limita tions ofthe prior art proposals.

Another and more specific object of the present in vention aims at theprovision of a new and improved construction of an electronic ignitiondevice for motor vehicles having internal combustion engines whereinthere is reliably insured that unauthorized use of the vehicle will notoccur. I

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of theinvention, which will become more readily apparent as the descriptionproceeds, the ignition device of this development is manifested by thefeatures that there is provided a preliminary stage and an output stage,wherein for each such stage there is provided at least one activesemiconductor element, and that at least the active semiconductorelement of the preliminary stage can be removed or detached from theignition device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be betterunderstood and objects other than those set forth above, will becomeapparent when consideration is given to the following detaileddescription thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexeddrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional construction of coil ignitioninstallation;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the ignition device showing theplug element which can be removed therefrom but here depicted in itsinserted position;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the plug element which can be removed from theignition device of FIG. 2 in its i nserted position; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of possible constructional forms of the contactpins of the plug element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now thedrawings, FIG. 1 schematically shows a coil ignition installation ofknown construction. The positive terminal or pole la of a notparticularly illustrated voltage source 1, the negative terminal or polelb of which is connected with ground, is electrically coupled via anignition switch 2 with the primary winding 3a of an ignition coil 3.This primary winding 3a is periodically connected with the negativetenninal 1b of the voltage source 1 in known manner through the agencyof an interrupter 4-. The voltage pulses generated in the primarywinding 30 are amplified at the secondary winding. 3b of the ignitioncoil 3 and delivered to the ignition distributor 5 which, in likewiseconventional manner,- distributes the ignition impulses to theindividual spark or ignition plugs 6.

If the key for closing the ignition switch 2 is not available, then itis sufficient to bridge or shunt the ignition switch in order to startthe engine. Therefore it is very easy if one has knowledge of thearrangement of the wire connections of the ignition installation tostart-up the engine of the automobile without the ignition key.

Now by means of the ignition device which has been schematicallyillustrated in FIG. 2 it is possible to over come these drawbacks of thepreviously described ignition device. In FIG. 2 those components orparts which correspond to the parts or components illustrated in FIG. 1have been designated by the same reference numerals.

In the device of FIG. 2 the primary winding 3:: of the ignition coil isno longer connected at one end with the ignition switch 2 and at theother end with the interrupter 4. i

The interrupter 4 is electrica1ly coupled via two resistors 7 and 8,forming a voltage divider, with the ignition switch 2. At the junctionpoint of such resistors 7 and 8 there is connected the base 9a of atransistor 9. The collector 9b of this transistor 9 is electricallycoupled via the ignition switch 2 with the terminal 1a and the emitter9c is connected with the base 10a of a second transistor 10. A Zenerdiode Ill is connected parallel to the resistor 8.

The emitter 10b of the transistor 10 is connected with the collector 9bof the transistor 9. Thefcolle ctor 10c of the transistor 10 isconnected via a glow lamp 12 at one end of the primary winding 30, theother end of which is connected to ground, as shown. I

A diode 13 is connected parallel to the. emittercollector path of thetransistor l0. Additionally, the base 100 of the transistor 10 isconnected via a resistor 14 with the terminal lb.

If the interrupter 4 is in its open position, then both the transistor 9as well as also the transistor l0,are.

blocked. The connection between the terminal or pole 1a via the ignitioncoil 3 to the terminal or pole 1b of a the voltage source 1 isinterrupted. With the ignition' switch 2 closed and with the closedposition of the interrupter 4 the transistor 9 is rendered conductive,and this can be insured for through appropriate selection of theresistors 7 and 8. Due to the current which flows ductive condition orstate, with the result that the primary winding 3a of the ignition coil3 is coupled via the collector-emitter path of thetransistor 10 with theterminals la and lbof the voltage source 1.

Consequently, in the primary winding 30 of the ignition coil 3 voltagepulses are generated in accordance with the takt orcycle of theinterrupter 4, and which are amplified atthe secondary winding 3b anddelivered to the ignition distributor 5.

Both of the diodes 11 and '13 serve to respectively stabilize andsuppress voltage peaks.

The glow lamp 12 in the current circuit of the primary winding 3a servesthe purpose of limiting the cur rent in .the event that with theignition switch 2 closed and with the interrupter 4 remaining in itsclosed position there flows a continuous current.

The lamp 12 which burns or glows in this case prevents any damage fromarising owing to such continuous current and additionally can be used asa warning indicator in the event that it is arranged at the dashboard orinstrument panel of the vehicle. During normal operation the glow lamp12 is not turned-on owing to its low cold resistance and also does notinfluence the currentflowing through the primary winding 3a. Thetransistor 9 is therefore a component of the preliminary stage orprestage, whereas the power transistor 10 is a component of the outputstage.

Now it is contemplated that the transistor 9 of the preliminary stagealone or in conjunction with certain other components can be removedfrom the device.

With the exemplary embodiment underconsideration the transistor 9, theresistor 8 and the diode 11 are assembled or grouped together into adetachable plug-in or plug element 15 which has been shown in phantomlines in FIG. 2. The aforementioned components are for instance moldedin a small plate formed of plastic which is equipped with contact pins16, as best seen by referring to FIG. 3.

Upon removal of the plug element 15 there are interrupted the circuitconnections at the locations designated by reference numeral 15a, assuch have been portrayed in FIG. 2. With the plug element 15 removed nocurrent can flow through the primary winding 3a even with the ignitionswitch 2 closed. Hence, with the plug element 15 removed the ignitiondevice therefore also cannot be placed into operation byshort-circuiting the ignition switch. Hence, theft of a vehicle equippedwith the described ignition device is practically impossible.

The resistor 7 is preferably arranged at the interrupter component 4such that it is not accessible from the outside. In this way it ispossible to prevent that the engine of the vehicle will be started-upwhen the plug element 15 has been removed by carrying out some type ofshort-circuiting manipulation, since the voltage pulses which arepossible in such type short-circuited circuit are much too small owingto the resistor 7.

Now in FIG. 3 there is illustrated a coupling element 18 with insertedplug element 15, and which coupling element 18 has been mounted at thedashboard or instrument panel 17 of an automobile 'or vehicle. Asalready mentioned, the plug element 15 is equipped with contact pins 16,the number of which is greater than the number necessary for theconnection of the components. In the embodiment under considerationthere are provided ten such contact pins, whereas only three thereof areconnected with the group of components 8, 9 and 10 which constitute thecomponents of the plug or plug-in element 15.

At the coupling element 18 there are provided contact elements 19 whichin arrangement and construction correspond to the Contact pins 16. Ofthese contact elements 19 those, which cooperate with the contact pins16 which are connected with the components 8, 9 and 11, are connected atthree connection lines or conductors 20 which lead to the part of theignition device which is fixedly mounted at the automobile or vehicle.This fixedly mounted part or component encompasses all of the elementswhich are located outside of the phantom boundary lines shown in FIG. 2.

Now the wiring of the plug element 15 and the coupling element 18 can beconstituted different for each ignition device while making use of allof the various combination possibilities, so that with a single plugelement it is only possible to start-up the engine of the associatedvehicle.

It is of course possible to arrange the pins at the coupling element 18and the corresponding contact elements at the plug element 15.

Now in FIG. 4 there is shown in front view the plug element 15 which hasbeen inserted into the coupling element 18. At the top of the plugelement plate there are provided different constructed or formedprojections 21 which cooperate with appropriately configured recesses 22at the coupling element 18. Due to different construction andarrangement of the projections 21 and the recesses 22 it is possible tofurther prevent that a given plus element 15 can be inserted intodifferent coupling elements 18. Here also it would be readily possibleto reverse the arrangement i.e., to form the projections at the couplingelement and the recesses at the plug element.

FIG. 5 shows different possible constructional forms of the contact pins16, and wherein the contact elements 19 are to be correspondinglyconstructed.

Due to different wiring arrangements at the plug element 15, differentarrangements and constructions of the contact pins and contact elementsas well as the projections and recesses shown in FIG. 4 it is possibleto achieve the result that a very large number of ignition devices ofthe described type can be constructed without a plug element being usedfor more than one ignition device.

The dimensions of the small plate-shaped plug element permits this plugelement to be carried away without any difficulty by the driver when heleaves his parked vehicle.

Although in the illustration of the drawings the transistor 9 has beenshown as a npn-transistor and the transistor 10 as a pnp-transistor, itis to be understood that it is also possible to use two similar typepnpor npn-transistors. The circuit depicted in FIG. 2 in such case is tobe correspondingly or appropriately changed 'as will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the electronics art.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims. Accordingly,

What is claimed is: v

1. An electronic ignition system for a vehicle which is provided with aninternal combustion engine, said ignition system comprising a powerstage connected to an ignition coil and a switching stage forcontrolling the power stage, said switching stage being controlled by anignition time detector, both the power stage and the switching stagepossessing at least one transistor which is essential to the operationof said system, the transistor of the switching stage being encapsulatedwithin a support element constructed as a plug element, said plugelement being removably electrically connected by means of a couplingelement to the remaining components of the ignition system through givenones of first contact members on the plug element which cooperate withgiven ones of second Contact members on the coupling element, such thatupon removal of the plug element from the coupling element thetransistor of the switching stage is electrically disconnected from theignition system to disable the ignition system and thereby prevent theftof the vehicle, said coupling element being capable of being fixedlymounted at a location on the vehicle remote from the power stage.

2. The ignition system as defined in claim 1, wherein both the firstcontact elements and the second contact elements have constructionalforms which differ from one another.

i 3. The ignition system as defined in claim 1, wherein the plug elementand the coupling element have cooperating means which cooperate with oneanother when the plug element is inserted into the coupling element.

4. The ignition system as defined in claim 3, wherein the cooperatingmeans 'of the plug element comprise projections and the cooperatingmeans of the coupling element comprise recesses which cooperate with oneanother when the plug element is inserted into the connection element.

5. The ignition system as defined in claim 3, wherein the cooperatingmeans of the plug element comprises recesses and the cooperating meansof the coupling element comprises projections which cooperate with oneanother when the plug element is inserted into the coupling element.

1. An electronic ignition system for a vehicle which is provided with aninternal combustion engine, said ignition system comprising a powerstage connected to an ignition coil and a switching stage forcontrolling the power stage, said switching stage being controlled by anignition time detector, both the power stage and the switching stagepossessing at least one transistor which is essential to the operationof said system, the transistor of the switching stage being encapsulatedwithin a support element constructed as a plug element, said plugelement being removably electrically connected by means of a couplingelement to the remaining components of the ignition system through givenones of first contact members on the plug element which cooperate withgiven ones of second contact members on the coupling element, such thatupon removal of the plug element from the coupling element thetransistor of the switching stage is electrically disconnected from theignition system to disable the ignition system and thereby prevent theftof the vehicle, said coupling element being capable of being fixedlymounted at a location on the vehicle remote from the power stage.
 2. Theignition system as defined in claim 1, wherein both the first contactelements and the second contact elements have constructional forms whichdiffer from one another.
 3. The ignition system as defined in claim 1,wherein the plug element and the coupling element have cooperating meanswhich cooperate with one another when the plug element is inserted intothe coupling element.
 4. The ignition system as defined in claim 3,wherein the cooperating means of the plug element comprise projectionsand the cooperating means of the coupling element comprise recesseswhich cooperate with one another when the plug element is inserted intothe connection element.
 5. The ignition system as defined in claim 3,wherein the cooperating means of the plug element comprises recesses andthe cooperating means of the coupling element comprises projectIonswhich cooperate with one another when the plug element is inserted intothe coupling element.